Lemar Gordon, Farhaan Ali-Wahid and Bradley de Jesus grabbed the goals as Fulham’s under 18s came out on top against Southampton in a five-goal thriller at Motspur Park this morning.
Ali Melloul handed new signing Marco Underwood a first start in goal after he his successful trial and the youngster had a busy afternoon during an end-to-end encounter that was action-packed from the first whistle. Fulham created the first opening after three minutes when Jayden Quashie burst through the centre of the park and spread the play out to Tom Olyott. The winger found Callum Osmand but the Welsh forward’s header was smartly saved by Dylan Moody.
Southampton skipper Tommy Dobson might have done better than direct a free header from a free-kick off target before Osmand went close with a half-volley before being denied by a superb reaction stop from Moody. The visitors made the most of their goalkeeper’s excellent saves by taking the lead midway through the first half when Princewill Ehibhationham found Josh Pitts inside the Fulham box and the striker wrongfooted the home defence before powering a precise shot in the bottom corner.
Lively winger Ehibhatiomhan spurned a good chance to make it two ten minutes before the interval when he fired wide at the conclusion of a dangerous Saints break. The visitors paid the penalty for that with Gordon going straight up the other end and drawing Fulham level. The Ealing born-winger cut in from the left flank onto his right foot and found the far corner with an impressive finish, but the hosts were indebted to an excellent save from Underwood – who got down well at his near post to deal with another Ehibhatiomhan effort – that ensured it was all square at half-time.
Underwood excelled himself again at the start of the second half, reacting quickly to prevent Pitts from re-establishing Southampton’s lead, before Sam Amissah – fresh from scoring a fabulous winner for the under 21s last night made a brilliant block from the rebound. Farhaan Ali-Wahid passed up the chance to fire Fulham ahead for the first time when he skied over after intercepting a risky pass out from the back by goalkeeper Moody.
Ali-Wahid didn’t let his head drop and got his reward barely a minute later. There was a touch of fortune about his goal as his cross travelled through a forest of arms and legs before sneaking into the far corner beyond the unfortunate Moody, but Fulham were now beginning to create the chances their enterprising approach play merited. Nwoko set up Osmand to make it 3-1 when he stole the ball from a Southampton defender, but Moody was more than a match for the in-form centre forward once again.
The third goal arrived shortly after the hour through a moment of magic from de Jesus. The full back showed the finishing ability that made him a promising forward player when he first came to the academy by lashing home a long-range half volley to put some clear water between the sides. Fulham needed it, too, as Osmand passed up another opportunity to score following unselfish work from Ali-Wahid, and were hanging on when Max Fry headed in Aston Daley’s cross at the near post to set up a grandstand finale.
Southampton could easily have completed a stoppage-time fightback when Underwood’s clearing kick was charged down and rolled towards the unguarded net only for substitute Samuel Tabares to clear off the line when it looked for all the world as though Harry Gathercole was set to equalise.
FULHAM UNDER 18s (4-4-2): Underwood; de Jesus, Slade (Tabares 63), Nsasi, Amissah; Nwoko, Quashie, Olyott, Gordon; Ali-Wahid (Bogle-Campbell 86), Osmand. Subs (not used): Wingate, White, Park.
GOALS: Gordon (36), Ali-Wahid (49), de Jesus (63).
SOUTHAMPTON UNDER 18s (4-3-3): Moody; Onkola-Matthews (Myers 76), Dobson-Ventura, Fry, Sesay; Andrews, Rohart-Brown (Onyekunle 64), Daley; Merry, Ehibhationham (Martin 76), Pitts (Gathercole 76). Subs (not used): Upstell.
BOOKED: Andrews.
GOALS: Pitts (22), Fry (90+6).
REFEREE: Stuart Smith.
